Is this excessive?

[Guest]

So, in a few weeks the wife, kids and I are off to Languedoc in the south of France for our summer holidays. I'm at home recuperating from a thyroid op, so I'm starting to draw up the "to be packed list".

I started off with the techy stuff - much more interesting than writing down "n pairs of pants", etc.

I came up with six cameras among four of us:

1. My SLR (just taking the 18-200mm and the 24-105mm)
2. Wife's Ixus 50 - a little long in the tooth, but still does the job very well
3. DD8's PowerShot A420. Bought last Xmas time from the Canon outlet on eBay for under £50 - proven to be really popular. Just now she's mainly running around snapping, but she'll soon be ready to think about composition
4. DS6's A420 - similar deal to #3
5. My Ixus 860IS. This lives on my belt; I wear it all the time and have managed loads of unexpected photos with it. Great wee camera
6. The Vivitar 5399 waterproof camera I bought last month. Intended for the beach and waterpark (might not manage that after the op )

I can justify each and every camera for its own job. But six cameras among four people seems a little excessive. And we've only got around 20kg luggage allowance each...

What do you think?

regards,
/alan

[Guest]

Yes it is excessive, but we're planning on taking 4 or 5 to Florida and there are only 4 of us!

My 400d, 800IS (with waterproof case for the waterparks), and 2 cheap Nikons for the kids, plus the video camera

[Guest]

Seems pretty excessive to me to be honest we are taking 2 to Florida when we go the big one and the little one oh im so technical can you tell ?

[Guest]

If im honest? Totally excessive.

A point I'm often tempted to reiterate in this forum, but not often do, is that great shots can be gleaned with nearly anything. For the more serious photographer, the "take one lens" approach produces stunning photography. One of my favourite cameras to take out up until recently was a 2.1MP Fuji Digital, from the days where you had digital zoom only (no optical) in digicams. 35mm only digital, and with some time and effort, still great shots to be proud of.

As a quick aside the case of kids, composition etc... really matters not unless they want to do creative photography. What most people (especially, but not limited to; kids) want, is pictures to remember things by, and they arent hugely fussed on the artistic merits. I know im guilty of talking photography to people who really just want some fond memories recorded, and it's easily done, just one to bare in mind.

The SLR and the Smaller Camera, I get that, you dont want that SLR with you all the time, sometimes the mood just doesnt strike but it's nice to have a smaller camera to hand although as my other thread points out, it's been a while since I had one I didnt give away :S

But the rest, your two kids have the same camera, could they not share? Does the wife really need one AS Well as your Compact, which she could have when you've the SLR around your neck.

As for dedicated Waterproofs, thats a really niche thing to have a camera for (when you look at proportional amount of time in water to out, unless you're a diver of some sort (or snorkeller)) there are only so many pictures of people gurning underwater in a swimming pool I can personally take, but each to their own. I have to ask, is their no housing available for your Ixus? I'd imagine there would be for a line as popular as the IXUS series.

I'd try to cut it in half, one big camera, one small camera, one for the family, id also probably not bother with the 24-105, as it falls within the 18-200 range, and ok, the 24-105 is likely faster, but are you there for a holiday or a photo shoot? I always try to slim down my gear before I go anywhere, being ruthless in terms of what I need, and I always *try* to remember, I can only shoot one camera with one lens at a time, even if im wearing more.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Wildhog

As for dedicated Waterproofs, thats a really niche thing to have a camera for (when you look at proportional amount of time in water to out, unless you're a diver of some sort (or snorkeller)) there are only so many pictures of people gurning underwater in a swimming pool I can personally take, but each to their own. I have to ask, is their no housing available for your Ixus? I'd imagine there would be for a line as popular as the IXUS series.

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They do do them (I have one for my IXUS 800IS) but they are all over £100 so can understand getting a cheap Vivitar for this purpose

[ali-s]

Well, your wife and kids have one camera each, fair enough, you have three ! so if you are going to cut down it should be one of yours you leave behind ! But if you are happy carrying them all, then go for it. For me, photos are a very important part of my holiday , no way would I share a camera and I would hate to 'make do' with a basic camera if I had a good one sitting at home ( MIL leaves her digital camera at home and takes a disposable 'incase it gets lost' )
Me and DH will be taking 1 camera each, DS9 will have his, Ds11 will have a disposable ( he's not so hot on taking care of cameras! ) and I usually get a waterproof disposable for the waterparks, though Aldi have a waterproof/shockproof digtal camera in next week that looks a good buy ! I may be tempted ! Not much help am I ?

[daviewat]

Ask yourself and answer honestly now.


Is it a relaxing recouperation holiday or a photographic expidition ?


And there in you will find your answer.

[steery1]

I dont understand why you need a 24-105mm and an 18-200mm.

Everything else has some sort of warped justification. but yes, excessive.

[spenners]

Yes it is

[Guest]

yes i would say so